Devices of this kind are known in numerous configurations. Thus U.S. Pat. No. 1,634,258 shows a-duo-horizontal rolling mill stand in which the two rolls each have an applicator roller pressed against their outer surfaces and comprised of an elastic material, the surfaces of the applicator rollers being treated with lubricant from a number of spray nozzles whereby the lubricant is then transferred from the surfaces of these applicator rollers to the surfaces of the horizontal rolls. The Japanese patent document 60 227 906 discloses a carrier which is shiftable radially against the surface of a working roll for an oil transfer roller and U.S. Pat. No. 4,272,976 discloses ahead and behind the working roll of a four-high rolling mill stand, spray nozzles which spread lubricant onto the working roll by pressing rolls and cooling air blowers which treat the rolls with cooling air. From Japanese patent document 57 137 010, a proposal has been made known whereby the lubricant is applied to the peripheral surfaces of the working rolls of a four-roll rolling mill stand in that between the working roll and a roller which is immersed in an open lubricating vessel, a transfer roller is arranged which picks up the lubricant from the surface of this immersion roller and applies it to the surface of the working roll. Finally from the Soviet patent publication 532417 the concept has been disclosed of an endless belt passing over guide rollers through a lubricant vessel and then contacting the working rolls of a rolling mill with the lubricant wetted side of the belt.
With these devices, the entire width of the peripheral surface of the working roll is always coated with lubricant and special care must be taken to keep the regions in which the lubricant has been applied to the working rolls above and below the rolled strip free from wayward water arising from the cooling devices of the mill stand. For this purpose specially controlled strippers and the arrangement thereof and operation have created problems especially beneath the continuously traveling rolled strip and always require maintenance.